Tool Design Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does a Tool Design Engineer make in the United States?

As of February 01, 2026, the average salary for a Tool Design Engineer in the United States is $102,827 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $49.

However, a Tool Design Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $118,046
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $95,272 to $110,793
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $88,394
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2025 Compensation Trend
AI-Powered Talent
AI-Powered HR
View as table View as graph 25% $95,272 10% $88,394 90% $118,046 75% $110,793 $102,827 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Tool Design Engineer Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $110,793 $9,233 $2,131 $53
Average $102,827 $8,569 $1,977 $49
25th Percentile $95,272 $7,939 $1,832 $46
Check out Tool Design Engineer Job Openings in the United States
Design Engineer

The Outdoor Group - ROCHESTER, NY

Tool Engineer

Northrop Grumman - EL SEGUNDO, CA

Senior Network Tool Engineer

Leidos - CHANTILLY, VA

Enterprise Monitoring Tool Engineer

Leidos - CHANTILLY, VA

Search More Tool Design Engineer Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Tool Design Engineer Salaries

A Tool Design Engineer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Tool Design Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Tool Design Engineer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $76,529
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $89,781
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $102,242
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $123,945
  • Expert (over 8 years): $146,179
Levels Salary
Tool Desi... Level Tool Design Engineer$76,529
Tool Desi... Level Tool Design Engineer$89,781
Tool Desi... Level Tool Design Engineer$102,242
Tool Desi... Level Tool Design Engineer$123,945
Tool Desi... Level Tool Design Engineer$146,179
$76,529 0 yr
$89,781 < 2 yrs
$102,242 2-4 yrs
$123,945 5-8 yrs
$146,179 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Tool Design Engineer Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Tool Design Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $113,850.
  • California: $113,418.
  • Massachusetts: $111,907.

Top Paying Cities for Tool Design Engineers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $129,696
  • San Francisco: $128,421
  • Oakland: $125,572

What Skills Can Increase a Tool Design Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 7.61% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Architectural Drawing (Mentioned in 3.09% Job Postings): Architectural drawing or architect's drawing is a technical drawing of a building (or building project) that falls within the definition of architecture.
  • Work Ethic (Mentioned in 2.06% Job Postings): A belief that work and diligence have a moral benefit and an inherent ability, virtue or value to strengthen character and individual abilities. A set of values centered on importance of work and manifested by determination or desire to work hard.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 7.61%
Architectural Drawing 3.09%
Work Ethic 2.06%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Tool Design Engineer's salary.
  • Customer Communications: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Strategic Planning: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Business Ethics: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Customer Communications
$111,053
8%
Strategic Planning
$111,053
8%
Business Ethics
$108,997
6%
Hard Working
$106,940
4%
Logistics
$105,912
3%
Organizing
$105,912
3%
Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Tool Design Engineer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Tool Design Engineers enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Tool Design Engineer with a Associate's Degree is between $105,182 and $112,527).

Tool Design Engineer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Tool Design Engineer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 7.7%
High School 23.1%
Associates 30.8%
Bachelors 30.8%
Masters 7.7%
Doctorate 0.0%
view as graph

Tool Design Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Tool Design Engineer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on February 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Tool Design Engineer

Salaries for a Tool Design Engineer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $104,347 in 2023 to around $99,893 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Tool Design Engineer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Tool Design Engineer Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$104,347
2024
$101,809
2025
$99,893
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $104,347
2024 $101,809
2025 $99,893
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Tool Design Engineer

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for Tool Design Engineer

Here are companies hiring for Tool Design Engineer and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Tool Design Engineer Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Tool Design Engineer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst